Handle accessory for containers



' April 29, 1947. s, LEBQLD 2,419,842

HANDLE ACCESSORY FOR CONTAINERS Filed larch 5, 1945 mvgvmn. Jamaal ALalai Patented Apr. 29, 1947 HANDLE ACCESSORY FOR CONTAINERS Samuel N. Lebold, Chicago, Ill., asslgnor to Morrls Paper Mills, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois.

Application March 5, 1945, Serial No. 581,099

The present invention relates to improvements in article carrying containers having cut-out portions providing handle members. More particularly, it pertains to a reinforcing handle construction, or accessory, adapted removably to be associated with such handle members to facilitate lifting and transportation of the containers, particularly the bottle carrier type of container, and which also is adapted to safeguard the handle member against tearing, extreme twisting and distortion, and the provision of such an accessory is a principal object of the invention.

Bottle carriers for carrying beverages in a convenient manner have of recent years become very popular. Many of these carriers are made of paperboard or like material which has been printed, die-cut and stamped into blanks. The blanks are folded and glued or otherwise secured so that they readily can be collapsed for shipping purposes and, easily set up for use. ,A popular type of carton is one which utilizes panel exten- 6 Claims. (Cl. 224-45) sions for a handle member by cutting therein an opening in a convenient location for the inser- Lion of the hand of the person carrying the same.

Such types of containers are illustrated, for example, in the Slevin Patent No. 2,318,807, and the Arneson Patent No. 2,222,211. These two ,vpes of bottle carrying cartons have been chosen y way of illustration because they depict two particular types of cartons with which the present invention conveniently can be used. The first of these patents shows a panel extension of a longitudinal partition between bottles carried therein and having an opening for the insertion of the hand which provides a handle member. The second patent also illustrates a bottle carrying carton having a panel with an opening therein for the insertion of the hand to provide a handle member wherein the carrier panel is provided by extensions of the side walls of the carton.

Such cartons are adapted usually to carry six lass bottles of 6 to 12 02. capacity. This constitutes a considerable amount of weight. It is customary to re-use such cartons from time to time in returning empty bottles and in obtaining others from the retailer which are not so packaged. During re-use the handles are subjected to twisting and distortion so that ultimately they become torn and when this occurs the cartons must be discarded. Also, the sharp edges at the bottom of the handle members give rise to another disadvantage, that is a definite tendency to cut into the hand of the person carrying the carton.

It would be a distinct advantage to prolong the life of such cartons by preventing tearing and distortion of the handle members and also to provide means whereby the resulting discomfort due to the sharp edge along the bottom of the handle can substantially be eliminated.

It is a general object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing difiiculties and disadvantages and to improve such cartons by the provision of an accessory handle construction to be used in conjunction therewith.

More specifically it is an object of the present invention to provide a reinforcing handle construction, or accessory, for such an article carrying container having a panel with a hand opening therein providing a handle member, a lower marginal edge section of the body member of the accessory being bent out of its plane in order to permit the section to project into the opening in the panel which provides the handle member, the edge being spaced from the body member a distance sufilcient removably to receive a. bottom section of the handle member in abutting relationship, and the upper marginal edge section of the body member of the accessory being bent to extend over the top section of the handle member to be supported thereby and to hold the handle structure in position.

It is another object of the invention to provide an accessory handle construction for any type of container or carton, whether the handle members are formed by outside wall extensions, by longitudinal partition extensions, or any other suitable extensions having hand holes for carrying purposes.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle carrying carton illustrating a form of panel which is an extension of a longitudinal partition and having a novel handle construction, or accessory, mounted in position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of such a handle construction;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of a fragment of the handle carrying panel illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse view taken along the line H of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a modified form of handle construction, or accessory; and

Fig. '7 is a view taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and illustrating a fragment of a carton showing a handle carrying panel formed by an extension of the side walls disposed over the carton.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 2 a handle construction, or accessory, illustrated generally at l0. Preferably such a device is made from a single blank of metal. This is desirable because such material can readily be stamped from a single blank, and such a construction has great rigidity. It is desirable that the article have greater rigidity than the paperboard container material customarily used in the construction of such cartons.

A marginalbottom edge of the handle construction I is curved out of its plane as indicated at H. A top marginal edge is similarly bent so as to form a longitudinal curved edge l2. In the particular construction shown in Fig. 1 there is a cut-out portion indicated generally at l3, the purpose of which will more fully appear from the disclosure.

The body of one form of carton or bottle carrier is indicated generally at H. In the particular illustration there is shown a longitudinal partition I to separate the articles in such a container. This partition extends upwardly to form a panel Hi. This panel may have one or two openings l1, 11. In the latter case, for reinforcing purposes, a bridge piece I8 is permitted to remain centrally of the opening. This construction is optional. The cut-out portions may either be entirely removed or, as shown in certain of the above mentioned patents, it may be permitted hingedly to remain to provide flaps l9 which can be swung through the openings and upwardly along the side of the handle member 20 formed by the upper portion of the panel. This aids materially in reinforcing the construction. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. However, it is not necessary that these flap be retained.

The handle construction I0 is readily mounted in position around the handle member 20 of the panel IS. The curved or bent sections H are inserted into the openings I1 and the lower portions of the handle member will come to rest in abutting relation with the curved portions H. It will be seen that the marginal edge is curved in such a manner that it is sufllciently spaced away from the body portion of the member I0 to permit the entry of the handle member in- .cluding the flaps i 9. This spacing may be such that the curved edge grippingly engages the handle sections in this area. The purpose of the cut-out portion I3 is to accommodate such constructions where the bridging piece 18 is utilized. When the handle is thus inserted with the bottom portion projected into the openings, the body portion is pushed against the side of the handle member and the curved portion I 2 will extend over the top edge of the handle member and serve to secure the same in position.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 6 there is depicted lateral extending braces 2|, 2|. Preferably these are intended to lie along the handle member and extend beyond the ends of the opening provided by the removal of the material in the upper panel. Such a construction lends additional reinforcement and rigidity to the paper handle member of the carton.

In'Fig. 7 there is illustrated a handle constructionsimilar to either that shown in Fig. 6 or Fig. 2 secured in associated relationship with extensions 22 and 23 of side walls 24 and II of another form of container. In either type 01 container, 1. e., the one which utilizes the hand holes in longitudinal partitions as depicted in Fig. l, or the one which utilizes the hand holes in wall extensions as depicted in Fig. '7, it would be unnecessary adhesively to secure the handle panels together because by means of the present invention theywill be held in this position for carrying purposes.

It will also be understood that it is contemplated that the handle carrying construction, or accessory may be made from fiber material, from plastic material or any other suitable material. The plastic material in particular can be in any attractive color.

It will thus be seen that the objects hereinbefore set forth can readily and emciently be attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above article and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of an article carrying container having extension panels upwardly projecting above the center of said container with openings therein to providea handle member, with a handle construction of substantially rigid material and being-removably mounted upon the handle member, said construction having a lower edge portion extending through said opening and abutting a bottom section of said handle member and an intermediate portion of said construction lying against a side section of said handle portion to reinforce the'same and holding said panels in locked, position, and an upper longitudinal edge portion of said construction extending over a top section of said handle member thereby to hold said construction in position on said handle memher.

2. The combination of anarticle carrying container having extension panels upwardly projecting above the center of said container with openings therein to provide a handle member with a handle construction of substantially rigid material and being removably mounted upon the handie member, said construction having a lower edge portion extending through said opening and abutting a bottom section of said handle member and an intermediate portion of said construction lying against a side section of said handle portion to reinforce the same and holding said panels in locked position, and an upper longitudinal edge portion of said construction extending over a top section of said handle member thereby to hold tainer having a panel with an opening therein to provide a handle member comprising a body member adapted to lie along and brace a side section of said handle member, a lower marginal edge section of said body member being bent out of its plane so as to adapt said section to enter the opening in said panel which provides the handle member, said edge being spaced from said body member a distance suflicient removably to receive a. bottom section of said handle member in abutting relationship, and an upper marginal edge section of said body member being bent similarly to said lower marginal edge section so as to adapt said upper section to extend over the top of said handle member to be supported thereby and to hold the handle construction in position on said handle member.

4. In an article carrying container having a centrally disposed upwardly extending panel with an opening therein to provide a handle member, the improvement comprising a reinforcing handle construction having a body member adapted to brace a side section of said handle member, a lower marginal edge section of said body member being bent out of its plane to permit said section to project through the opening in said panel which provides the handle member, said edge being spaced from said body member a distance sufiicient removably to receive a bottom section of the handle member in abutting relationship, an upper marginal edge section of said body member being similarly bent so as to permit said upper section to extend over the top of said handle member to be supported thereby and to hold the handle construction in position on said handle member, and said body member having laterally projecting bracing members adapted to extend along said handle member.

5. The combination of an article carrying container having extension panels upwardly projecting above the center of said container with openings therein to provide a handle member, which openings have a bridging piece extending substantially vertically transversely thereof, and a.

handle construction of substantially rigid material and being removably mounted upon the handle member, said construction having a lower edge portion extending through said openings and abutting a bottom section of said handle member with a cut-out section straddling said bridging piece, and an intermediate portion of said construction lying against a side section of said handle portion to reinforce the same and holding said panels in locked position, and an upper longitudinal edge portion of said construction extending over a top section of said handle member thereby to hold said construction in position on said han dle member.

6. As an article of manufacture, a reinforcing handle construction for an aritcle carrying container having a panel with openings therein to provide a handle member, which openings have a bridging piece extending substantially vertically transversely thereof, comprising a body member adapted to lie along and brace a side section of said handle member, a lower marginal edge section of said body member being bent out of its plane so as to adapt said section to enter the openings in said panel which provides the handle member with a cut-out section adapted to straddle said bridging piece, said edge being spaced from said body member a distance suffioient removably to receive a bottom section of said handle member in abutting relationship, and an upper marginal edge section of said body member being bent similarly to said lower marginal edge section so as to adapt said upper section to extend over the top of said handle member to be supported thereby and to hold the handle construction in position on said handle member.

SAMUEL N. LEBOLD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are-of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA Number Name Date 1,965,886 Everhart July 10, 1934 2,382,844 Arneson Aug. 14, 1945 2,359,335 Stuart et al Oct. 3, 1944 7 2,355,004 McCulloch Aug. 1, 1944 1,981,647 Johnson Nov. 20, 1934 

